


Trouble

by chaserpercy



Category: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/M, Meelo and Ikki annoy them but like honestly that is canon so, they're literally children so they're not gonna do anything alright calm down, you might need a dentist after this cheesy mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-13
Updated: 2015-05-13
Packaged: 2018-03-30 07:49:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3928792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaserpercy/pseuds/chaserpercy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kai dwells on his opinion of Jinora sometimes. OR a "those three years" between book 3 and 4 type of story</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trouble

Kai finds Jinora after she gets her tattoos. It's strange to see her hair gone, but she's ecstatic about the change, and he's proud of his best friend. Kai isn't sure if that contains all that he feels about her, but he's afraid to think of anything else (and to be the victim of Tenzin's angry glare). They hug; it definitely feels different.

"What are you thinking about?" Kai asks, sitting down next to her on the temple steps.  
  
"I wonder who's going to be the next master," She says to him. He nods and looks towards the direction she is gazing, which happens to be at her siblings. Kai has to admit they're amazing benders, despite being so young and so, so annoying.

"Who knows? But hey, now I have an airbending master for a teacher and friend!" Jinora grins and then raises an eyebrow.

"So can you stop trying to argue that you're better than me?"

"Nah." That earns Kai an eye roll.

"Are you asking for trouble, mister?"

~

The Air Nation is getting a lot bigger nowadays. New airbenders arrive almost everyday, and Kai's on babysitting duty. Meelo and Ikki try to help him teach the newcomers, but they don't know the limits, which isn’t exactly beneficial. If he has to hear Meelo's battle-ready yell one more time, he might quit the job. 

Kai misses Jinora. She's with her dad, traveling the world, looking for more airbenders. Her hair's growing back and it's almost below her ears. She likes her job and Kai's happy for her, but they never have time to talk anymore. Jinora astral projects to Air Temple Island sometimes, but it's just not the same. Plus, every time Kai tries to talk to her in private, Ikki and Meelo find a way to interrupt. He suspects it's intentional.

~

It's Kai's 13th birthday when he figures out how much he's really missed Jinora. She tells him she's coming back to Air Temple Island for good and he can't help the way his heart beats in his chest. All he can say is "That's great!" before his stomach turns into a rock. After her projection fades, Ikki and Meelo approach him, looking mischievous. 

"What's troubling you, young one?" Meelo asks, as if he's ten years Kai's senior and not a literal child.

"Ooh! I know what's wrong! Kai likes Jinora." Ikki says. Kai tries to keep it cool.

"Well, yeah, Jinora's my friend." 

"No, you  like  like her. Don't lie." Meelo butts in. 

"You're seven, and Ikki's nine. What would you two know anything about that?"

"Excuse me, I'm ten! And I know because I've read all of Jinora's books!" Ikki huffs. Kai hopes he's not turning red. 

"Are you blushing? See, we knew it!" Meelo says. 

"Uh..so what?" Kai replies. Meelo and Ikki are too smart for their own good. It's no use trying to fight them.

"She obviously likes you too. I can see all the signs!" Ikki tells him, right as he spots a bison in the distance.

He doesn't say anything: Ikki groans, Meelo sighs.

"Do we have to spell it out for ya? Man up! You're not getting any younger! TELL THE LADY HOW YA FEEL!"

Kai rubs his temple. At this point, he's willing to do anything to get them to stop bothering him. Meelo and Ikki hover around him(literally, being able to airbend and all that jazz), trying to get his response. It’s apparent that they aren’t leaving until they get an answer out of him, so Kai admits defeat and says the words they want to hear.

“Okay, I’ll tell her. But you two have to promise me you’ll stay away.” They grin simultaneously before scurrying off. It makes Kai wish he had said no.

~

"Hey, missed you!" Jinora nearly tackles Kai. He's surprised by the sudden embrace, but hugs her back. Her hair is at her shoulders now. Kai thinks it's pretty.

He breaks the hug to reply. "Missed you too, Jinora. I've been teaching all the airbenders you sent our way. They're all having a lot of fun." 

"Really? That's great!"

Kai sees Tenzin climb off the air bison and straightens up. He's always giving Kai suspicious looks these days, maybe because he knows more about Kai than Jinora does. Kai smiles nervously.

"Hi, Master Tenzin. How was the trip?"

"Hello, Kai. It was good. But you're the ones who are training them, so I don't know if my work was a success or not. Speaking of the new benders, I need to go check on them. Jinora, Kai, don't get into any trouble." 

"Don't worry Dad, we won't." Jinora says. Tenzin flies off and Kai's nerves break down right there. He can see Meelo and Ikki behind the giant rock in the air bison pasture, no matter how sneaky they think they are. They're watching him with excited faces. Kai gulps.

The fear in his face is somewhat apparent. "What's wrong?" Jinora asks.

"No, nothing's wrong, I just...don't know how to say this....without it being weird?"

"Say what?"

"Well, we've always been friends so this is kind of out of the blue but I think that everything has changed a lot for me and honestly maybe for you as well? But I can't be su-"

"Kai, what are you talking abo-"

"I really really like you and I hope you feel the same way." He blurts out. Jinora's blush mimics his own as Meelo and Ikki come zooming out into the open.

"FINALLY! KAI IS NOW A MAN!" Meelo yells.

"Shut up, Meelo, Jinora didn't even say anything back yet." Kai mutters. Leave it to the children to mess up a moment.

"KAI AND JINORAAAA!! JINORA AND KAIII!" Meelo sings.

"Meelo!" Jinora and Kai both yell at the same time. Ikki almost  cackles  as she drags her brother away. 

"Sorry about that." He apologizes. Jinora looks like she's gonna say something, but then closes her mouth. Kai interrupts.

"I mean I totally understand if you just want to stay friends and all, because we're a good team and we understand each ot-" This time Kai gets cut off. Jinora hugs him again, and Kai thinks she's smiling. He knows he is.

"I'm getting muffled by you, but I'm going to assume that was an 'I like you too' and not an 'ew get away from me you freak'?" Jinora has to pull away, she's laughing so hard.

"The first one," She says after she catches a breath. The two of them settle down on the rock Meelo and Ikki were previously spying on them from.

"Nice." Kai wants to high five her.  Yeah, because that's the normal thing to do after Jinora admits she likes you back.  He thinks.

"Nice." She echoes. 

~

When they see Tenzin again, Kai only has one thing to say.

"We didn't get into any trouble, promise." 

"Oh really? Meelo and Ikki told me a much more elaborate story." Tenzin raises an eyebrow. Kai is so mortified, Jinora doesn't stop laughing for the next five days.

("Kai, my dad's totally fine with it. Calm down."

"BUT TENZIN IS SO SCARY!")

**Author's Note:**

> the title doesn't make that much sense but its whatever :)


End file.
